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Top 5 Internet Browsers for Privacy and Security

browsers for privacy

Everyone that interacts with the internet has a browser that they use for browsing the internet. This web browser does the simple job of connecting users to the platforms, websites, and online apps that they want to reach. However, they do more than just that. Browsers are also responsible for your online privacy and security.

Browsers store some sensitive information about users which could be potentially damaging if they were ever get hacked. Some browsers are even so poor that they do not offer any extra layer of security. Thus, your choice of browser could be the weak link in your otherwise impenetrable online security armor.

How They Contribute to Your Personal, Internet and Data Security

Some of the common issues that browsers can cause for everyday users are, but not limited to:

1 Cookie Tracking

Users visit a website and leave, only to find out that the same website starts showing up everywhere else they go on the internet. In most cases, this is due to cookie and ad tracking measures from marketers.

Whenever you visit a website, cookies are enabled for the main purpose of remembering site settings (such as login details, preferences, and more) to enable the browser to load the platform into user preference the next time.

Marketers and webmasters have taken this up a notch, though. With cookies, they can now track you around all other websites that you visit when you leave their platforms. This is too much intrusion into the user’s privacy.

 

2 Password Saving

It is not advised that you save your account passwords on untrusted browsers. The same thing goes for payment gateways (like your credit card details) whose details can easily be obtained by a hack on your choice browser.

The chances of this happening are increased when you are using a nameless browser. While it is great to want to support new projects, always think of the risk that they carry with them before going in at all.

Likewise, the fact that a browser has a lot of features, bells and whistles does not make it good for you. This is one of the reasons why we would love for Google to tighten the ship on its Google Chrome browser.

3 Browser Fingerprinting

There are millions, if not billions, of devices accessing the internet globally. That should make it impossible for anyone to know who is on the internet. This is why some webmasters came up with the browser fingerprinting technique.

Like a basic fingerprint, it is unique to the individual carrying it. That is the same concept used on the browser front here. The fingerprinting technique identifies the browser, device, IP address, and other such locations to make a digital map and fingerprint of the user. From then on, it becomes easier to track them and follow their computer all around the internet.

There is more where that came from.

In summary, it shows how our browses might be leak into our private lives and dealings. These leaks also allow marketers to pigeonhole users into seeing only some kinds of products, thereby limiting their choices. That, and we have not mentioned how malicious players can mine the data from above to launch a bigger hack on the users.

Top 5 Browser Picks for Privacy

Fortunately, we are not without help. Some browsers have been made to curb the ills on consumer data gathering, excessive ads tracking, cookie placement, and more. Here are some of the best picks you can get across multiple platforms right now,

1. Brave Browser

If you have heard good things about the Mozilla Firefox, know that one of the engineers that worked on that project created this one too. This is certainly one of the browsers for online privacy and security. 

What we love the most about the Brave browser is that it comes with a pretty tight security profile out of the box. Unlike Mozilla, you might not have to do much tweaking before you get a beefy internet security protocol up your aisle.

With steady support and a recent full breakdown/ rebuild to fix ongoing issues, the Brave browser is up there with the most secure picks.

2. Safari Browser

It is no surprise that a browser from Apple – the company that has an ethical stand against marketing user data – is on this list. The only catch is that it is only available for Apple devices if you happen to own an Apple device then you are all set. Safari is known for its robust security which makes it one of the best browsers for privacy.

The promise of Apple above is not the only thing that we are standing on, though. The Safari browser features the combination of AI and Machine Learning to identify malicious and aggressive cookies, blocking them from being placed on your device. The same thing is used to identify ads before the page you are on even loads. This way, they can block the majority of ads for users.

The browser is also specifically engineered against browser fingerprinting attempts. That, and it has a secure password/ payment details storage system behind it.

3. Mozilla Firefox

It would be wrong to close out this list without a dedicated mention of the Mozilla Firefox.

Truth be told, what the company offers out of the box is lean in terms of security. Heading into the settings area, however, brings a slew of options to the table. They are also self-explanatory, allowing users to know what they want to allow and what they do not want to give the time of day also.

4. Tor Browser

The Onion Router – also known as the Tor Browser – is one of the most secure browsers out there.

The browser is famed for how it protects the identity of users at any time by tunneling their data through a series of nodes. However, this browser is not available to all areas of the world. You can install a VPN to get around such a restriction though.

5. Google chrome

Chrome is the leading internet browser with over 80% market share. Google has been constantly improving the features of the chrome to make it stand with other popular browsers that are better at security and privacy. Chrome automatically checks for harmful downloads, pop-ups, no tracking requests, and a few more.

Though it doesn’t offer much privacy compared to other browsers in this list but still it has the best UI and performance. An average user who doesn’t know much about technicalities would definitely choose chrome over other browsers in terms of user experience.

 

Adding an extra layer of protection

Apart from choosing a trustworthy browser, you can also beef up security by downloading a VPN. The tool creates a tunnel that encrypts all your traffic, protecting your data from snooping and interference.

Also Read – Top 10 Free VPNs for Android and iPhone

Make sure you prioritize the security of your browser so you are protected from the risks mentioned above. So, this was our top 5 browsers for your online privacy. Let’s know if you are using any other browser which you believe to be equally or better than our top selection. Stay safe and happy browsing!

Jai Singh

Love reading and writing about technology, trying new stuff, and spreading the same in the easiest way possible.

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